When the front of one vehicle strikes the side of another vehicle, that is known as a side-impact collision. Also called T-bones, these crashes can result in significant injury, especially to passengers in the vehicle that absorbs the impact. If a truck hits a smaller vehicle on its side, the smaller vehicle’s occupants could suffer catastrophic injury or even death.
If you suffered injuries in a side-impact truck accident in Memphis and another party’s negligence was a cause of the wreck, you could be entitled to damages to compensate you for your injuries. Talk to a seasoned truck accident attorney at the Reaves Law Firm as quickly as possible to preserve your right to seek compensation.
Side-impact collisions often happen at intersections. One vehicle might run a red light or a stop sign and collide with another vehicle moving through the intersection. T-bones could happen if someone makes a left turn into oncoming traffic. Side-impact collisions also could occur when a vehicle exits a driveway or parking lot into oncoming traffic.
The cause of side-impact collisions might be more complex when one of the vehicles is a truck. The large blind spots surrounding a truck might create a situation that could lead to a sideswipe. For example, a side-impact collision could occur if a truck made a left turn without the right-of-way, but also if it made a wide right turn into the path of a vehicle traveling on its right. Similarly, braking a truck to a stop requires considerable skill, and a mistake could lead to a T-bone.
Driver error contributes to almost all side-impact accidents. Often, both drivers bear some fault. However, commercial truck drivers must maintain a higher standard than the drivers of passenger cars. In many cases, a Memphis attorney representing someone injured in a T-bone truck accident could find evidence of trucker negligence that would trigger liability for the driver and their employer.
When an individual seeks damages in a personal injury action, they must prove that another party is negligent. The injured plaintiff might show that the truck’s brakes were defective, the truck driver was distracted, or present any other evidence indicating that the trucker or the transport company was at fault for the collision.
A defendant often will counter by attempting to show that the injured person’s negligence contributed to the crash. For example, a truck driver might assert that the other vehicle was traveling in its blind spot or ran a stop sign. The more fault the trucking company can assign to the plaintiff, the lower the trucking company’s liability.
Tennessee Statute Annotated §29-11-107 establishes the doctrine of comparative negligence in state law. In a negligence action, a jury will assign a percentage of fault to each party to the lawsuit. If the jury assigns the injured person 50 percent or more of the blame, they cannot collect damages. If the plaintiff’s responsibility is less than 50 percent, the court will adjust their total damages to reflect their portion of responsibility. A capable Memphis attorney could offer evidence showing the client bears less fault than the trucker for the side-impact collision.
It is critical for someone sideswiped or T-boned by a truck in Memphis to seek legal representation as soon as possible. The law says that an injured person must file a lawsuit within one year of the incident that caused their injury.
Insurance companies for trucking companies often take an aggressive stance against injured people claiming damages. They might try to intimidate the injured party into accepting a much smaller settlement than the circumstances merit.
An attorney could handle all communication with the insurance companies, relieving the plaintiff of the stress of taking their calls. In addition, they could ensure that any settlement provides appropriate compensation for the injuries the claimant suffered.
Seeking damages from a trucking company can be a complicated process. The trucking industry invests a lot of effort in defending itself against negligence claims.
However, you deserve compensation if you were injured in a side-impact truck accident in Memphis. Make an appointment with the Reaves Law Firm today to discuss how we could help you hold the trucking company accountable.
